Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-11-19
POLITICS AND DoMEsrIc1rY.
How a Mans Home is Broken up When He
Runs for Office.

Runs for Office.
The ladies of new-fledged candi-
dates family object, with reason, to his
neglect of domestic interests in his mad
pursuit after the phantom office.
Take very busy man; the work on
which he depends for livelihood, in
these days of three per-cen earnings
and destructive competition, probably
leaves him little leisure for the enjoy
ment of the home which he works so
hard to maintain. Social duties arc
added as distracting agencies; quite
likely he belongs to club or two;
church or vestry claims its share of his
attention; for the pleasures of his own
fireside but few hours remain to spare.
On such a man there waits, in an evil
hour, committee that invites him to
run for the ward" If he was in England
they would invite him to "stand :" in
America he is called upon to run
Now, suppose he sat down to figure
not merely on the pecuniary, but on
the temporal cost of such proceeding,
he would at once discover that out of
twenty-four hours he sleeps about seven;
that he requires two to eat three COM
Portable meals; that his business demands
at least ten; and, therefore, he has five
hours which he may well give each day
to public affairs. "Why, them" says this
fattered and confiding man to himself,
should | not accept the nomination 2"
And this he forthwith proceeds to do.
The citizen imagines that he says this
to himself; in reality, it is instilled into
his mind by the dark Tempter, who
ever stands at mortal elbows, waiting
just such an occasion as we are con-
sidering to whisper fatal advice.
What follows upon this ill-starred PHI
ancy? First of ALL politics begins to
intrude on business. Can he leave the
store few minutes to meet this or that
representative of an interest or precinct?
Certainly. Can he close an hour or so
earlier than usual in order to attend this
or that meeting? o, of course. Will he
make few remarks? Well, if it is neces-
sary, he will try Now, he has probably
never spoken in public; thinking on his
legs is an unknown art to him, and his
first experience in that line becomes a
subject of gloomy anticipation.
So he makes his appearance at home
long before the usual time to the great
delight of the family circle. But gloom
settles suddenly down upon them when
he insists on Immediately Withdrawing
to an obscure upper chamber Ito think OF
something to say" Then commence the
regular nightly absences from home,
with returns in cabs long after the cars
have ceased running. Mysterious con-
situations are held in the library
with men of all shades of color
from pure white to the dusk
no,
almost always found necessary to
arrive at any satisfactory conclusion.
For the details of home management, the
mother and children, the absorbed head
of the family "has no time" He has
gotten himself into anew world, wherein
they have little part and, while it may
soon disgust him with its seltishness, its
weaknesses, and its insincerity, for the
nonce, it wraps him up completely, and
shuts his soul away from its proper and
healthy kindred.
And it is charmed draught which the
unthinking man has put to his lips. Poll
tics grows fast upon one. From pastime
it soon becomes sort of necessity. Disap-
pointments, which here, as everywhere
else, outnumber realiZations ten to one,
sour the heart. Something additional
to worry over has been acquired-a fresh
burden of cares self-loaded on the pa
tient back. Fortunate is he who,
having drunk deeply of the magic
potation, possesses spouse with
intelligence and spirit enough to share
with him its Intoxicating contents. Half
the unpleasantness of a political career
must be saved to the man who has SYM
pathetic wife to comprehend his states
manship, and rejoice with him when it is
duly honored by others, and mourn with
him when the treasures of it's wisdom are
cast before the swine of an unappre-
ciatiYe DeOnle